Mail-delivering apparatus.



O. ,W. SMIRL.

MAIL DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1914.

l ,268,40n Patented June 4, 1918.

2 sums-sum l. v I

O. W. SMIRL.

MAIL DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1914.v

Patented June 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ORIN W. SMIR-L, 0F WILSEY, KANSAS.

MAIL-DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4:, 1918.

Application filed November 19, 1914. Serial No. 872,987.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, ORIN W. SMIRL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilsey, in the county of Morris and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-DeliveringApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mail deliveringapparatus.

The primary object of the invention is the construction of a device ofthis character wherein the mail is automatically delivered from a traininto a receptacle arranged along the track.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means forconveying the mail from the receptacle to any desired point such asthepost-oflice.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means forautomatically releasing the conveyer when the mail is received there-in.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the noveldetails of construction and arrangement of parts which will be moreclearly understood from the following description and drawings, inwhich,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the delivering and receivingmechanism, the car being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top view, parts broken away, of the delivering mechanismcarried by the car.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the receiving member. 1

Fig. 4: is a vertical section through the receiver and conveying device.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the conveyer.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental detail of the delivering device, and

Fig. 7 is a front view, partly in section,

. of the tripping post.

desired point for depositing, such as the post-office.

Delivering mechanism.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the ordinary mail car, and 2 asupport upon which is secured a receptacle 3 open at the forward end,anda brace 4 which extends from the underside of the receptacle 3 to thesupport 2. Brackets 5 are secured to each side of the receptacle andextend in the rear thereof, and mounted in the rear end of the bracketsis a rod 6 having the crank handle 7 on one end thereof. A ratchet wheel8 is secured to the rod intermediate its ends. A second rod 9 is mountedin the brackets at a point between the end of the receptacle and the rod6 and a pawl 10 is pivotally connected to the rod 9 and adapted tonormally engage the ratchet wheel 8, as more particularly shown in Figs.1 and 2 of the drawings.

Slidably mounted within the receptacle 3 is a plate 11 having therollers 12 mounted in the top and bottom edges thereof and adapted toengage the top and bottom of the receptacle 3. Rods 13 are secured tothe back of the plate and extend through the rear wall of the receptacle3, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and nuts 14 arereceived on the ends of the rods. Washers 15 are also secured on theends of the rod and are adapted to engage the end of the receptacle 3when the plate 11 is in its forwardmost position. Coil springs 16surround the rods 13 between the plate 11 and rear wall of thereceptacle.

Ropes or cables 17 are secured to the plate 11 by the eyes 18 and saidropes or cables pass through the rear wall of the receptacle 3 and areconnected to the rod 6 upon which they are adapted to be wound byturning the handles 7.

A bracket 19 is secured to the top of the receptacle and hingedlyconnected to the bracket 19 is an arm 20. A rope or cable 21 isconnected to the arm 20 and the free ends of the rope or cable extend inopposite directions, throu h the eyes 22 on the top of the receptac e 3,and are connected tothe,

pawl 10.

Arranged igthe track on each'side' f ropesfor cables 17 upon the rod anddrawing the plate 11 toward the rear end of the box and placing thesprings 16 under tension.

' The pawllO engaging the ratchet wheel 8 prevents the cable from beingunwound until the pawl is released. As the train coines to the receivingreceptacle, to be later described, the arm 20 which extends beyond theside of thecar engages the head '24 on the post 23 an'dthe arm isthrownto one side t 'ereby pulling upon the cable 21 which releases the .paw ofrom the ratchet wheel 8. The 16 thereby force the plate 11 toward thefront of the box and shoots the ag therefrom int-0 the ece vinreceptacle. The heads '24 on the posts 23 are preferably formed intheshape shown whereby the arm 20 will beheld forjust' that fraction oftime so that the pawl will be held from the ratchet wheel suflicientlylong for the bag t'c be delivered.

Receiving mechanism.

The receiving mechanism [comprises a recep't'acle 26 upon the groundalong the side of the track. Extending upwardly from the receptacle 26is a chute member 27 which is preferably of the shape shown and open atthe front, as indicated at 28. The chute 27 is preferably" formed insections connected bythe, strip'see, but I, do not desire'to limitmyselfto this particular construction, The receptacle 26 is referamformed 'wlth a door 30 thrciigh which access is; gained into the,"rec'eptacle when desired.

The interior or the chute and receptacle are perfectly 'smoothfso thatthere'will be no injury to thebag when delivered'therein.

The deliveredfrom the train passes through the opening 28 and into thechute 27 from whichlit is deposited'into the conveying device which willbe later described. 'o'mbey ziny mechanism.

. The conveying mechanism comprises a reccptacle '31, more clearly shownin Figs. 4

pifnjcg 'oiyother, biiilding into the rec'e'iviilg 1626;. fThcfreceptacl'e s1 is adapted withinfthe'receiving receptacle seat-e" rammachete 271mb the-rec ptacle fia -Secured the receptacle is artheichutei 27. Thc ii'i'ail isdebracket 34 and pivotally connected tothe conveying receptacle 31 is a catch member 35 which is adapted toengage the bracket 34 whereby the receptacle 31 is held beneath thechute 27. A spring member 36, of the construction shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings, is secured to one end of the receptacle 31 and is adapted tobe compressed between the endsof the receiving receptacle 26 andconveying receptacle 31 when said conveyin'g're'c'eptacle is under thechute. A plate 37 is hinged to the side of the receptacle 31, asindicated at 38, and the receptacle is provided with a hinged cover39,;more clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings; A0011 spring 40 isconnected to the plate 37 and cover 39.

The'mail bag passes through the. chute 27 and is deposited upon theplate 37 which is lowered by'the weight ofthe bagand en; gages the endof the catch 35 thereby relea sing it from the bracket 34. As the.plateis lowered it lowers the cover 39 over the receptacle. As soon asthe catch 35 is released from the bracket 34 the spring. 36 shoots thereceptacle forward and as the tracks 33 are inclined the receptaclerolls to the desired building, such, as the post-office.

Having fully described the several elements of the invention it isthought that the advantages will be clearly understood. As stated above,a post 23 with the head 24 is placed upon each side or the receivingre-' ceptacle 26 so that the delivering mechanism may be operated when,the trainis passing in either direction. The mail is, automaticallydelivered from the train and deposited into the receiving receptaclefrom which it is conveyed to the desired point.

It willbes'een that the 'a'rin 20.01. the delivering device maybeswungwithin'the car when it is not desired to deposit mail.

Having'run described the invention that I claim as new and desiretosecure vby'Letters Patent is 1. In a maildelivery-.apparatus,,arecepta cle carried by a car, :andhavinga plungerOperating in the receptacle, rollers-mounted on the lunger and engagabiewith the top and bottom of the receptacle tomaintain the plunger inmovable position in the center of the receptacle, rods secured tothepliinger a'i'id passing "through the receptacle and having springsinterpeseic between the plunger and receptacle, a rod secured tothereceptacle, the said rod and plunger having cables connecting themtogethemme ns ,'f0"1- rotating the rod, means for holding the rodagainst rotation, and ineans'for releasing the r0 2. Ina Ina'ilbagfdeliveringlapparatus, the receptacle carriedby a car', ap1uageroer,-

ating in the said receptacle and prov ded with reds hassing through thethat e fecep'tacle, said nods having spriagsmee pessai pawl secured tothe brackets and engagable and pawl having means for releasing the saidrod.

In testimony whereof I aflix my Signature in presence 0 two Witnesses.

ORIN W. SMIRL. Witnesses:

O. H. BURTON, J. H. GAREY.

between the plunger and the said receptacle, the latter being providedwith brackets, a rod rotatably mounted in the bracket and carrying aratchet wheel, cables secured to the plunger and coiled about the saidrod, a

with the ratchet Wheel, and an arm pivotally connected to thereceptacles, the said arm Copies of thispatent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Waahingtem, D. 0." I

